Like each different baby (and grownup) in 2020, Oliver makes use of his pill and telephone religiously; he additionally sometimes makes use of it to speak. However in Come Play it is used as yet another method to present that he is “totally different.” He additionally has no mates as a result of apparently, the filmmakers suppose autistic persons are incapable of constructing them. That mixed along with his mom’s horrible parenting implies that Oliver is a simple goal for Larry, a monster that lives in his pill — no, we do not discover out any extra about that — and communicates through flashing lights and a Babadook-lite digital guide.
The strangest factor about Come Play is that for a movie that (fairly cleverly) makes use of expertise as a software for horror it feels painfully outdated, not simply in its illustration of Oliver but additionally in its understanding of youngsters, parenting, and horror. Jacobs’ mom is a basic “drained” mother, however her remedy of Oliver leans into abuse and neglect. There isn’t any rationalization or understanding of why the mother and father would have by no means give you a extra sustainable method to talk with their non-verbal son than an app they solely carry on his telephone and solely his telephone. Signal language? Makaton? Dynavox? The actual fact he can write however virtually by no means makes use of that to speak? It is an enormous difficulty with the script that does not work on a logical or narrative degree.There appears to be a battle between the urge to make a zeitgeisty horror — expertise is unhealthy, youngsters who use tablets have to go outdoors — and the wish to make the monster a metaphor. However no matter Larry is an analog for is misplaced on this reviewer. There have been a couple of worrying moments when he appeared to symbolize Oliver’s autism, however fortunately that was extra like unhealthy storytelling or misdirection than a dedication to an unforgivable trope. If Larry actually is simply meant to symbolize loneliness then it is a complicated illustration as a result of whereas loneliness does kill, Come Play would not have the vary to discover what that might actually imply for the story.
Now that we have that riveting narrative out of the way in which, we will speak about Come Play’s greatest failing: it is boring. The realm of PG-13 horror could be actually terrifying with movies like Lights Out, A Quiet Place, Insidious, and Mama placing the worry in movie followers of all ages. Come Play desires to be extra like the previous than the latter choice, aiming for a household horror film that may insert Larry into the nightmares of youngsters and adults alike. However other than the horrors of the unhealthy parenting selections, the scares are few and much between it doesn’t matter what your age.
Come Play struggles to construct pressure in any authentic means and the at first revolutionary means of discovering Larry (by a pill or telephone digital camera) quickly turns into tiresome. Do you actually wish to watch a whole film by an AR app? I am often a fan of a movie the place you hardly ever see a monster however there’s not sufficient pressure or worry in-built to make you petrified of what you may’t see. Additionally, the monster we’re presupposed to be afraid of is previous information now, the ghoul of creepypastas from years passed by. When Larry lastly does present himself he’s really fairly spooky-looking, however the reveal is an inexpensive one that does not maintain any impression. And it is so late within the movie that you’re going to seemingly be wrapped up in queries about simply what is going on on or why you need to care.
Robertson does job with what he is given, though the movie leans closely into outdated stereotypes about autism that seemingly would have been much better dealt with in the event that they’d forged an actor on the spectrum. Gallagher Jr. is nice as a barely-there dad who is unquestionably the mum or dad Oliver ought to be dwelling with. Jacobs is superb as an abhorrently horrible mom, however Come Play would not have the highly effective writing or performances of The Babadook which delved into psychological well being and motherhood in a way more substantial means. Right here it is unclear whether or not Jacobs’ is supposed to be a hero, villain, or simply an Everywoman; however to any disabled viewers watching she’ll strike worry in your coronary heart for example of simply how terrible those that are supposed to look after us could be. Oliver is a candy, considerate baby, and Sarah’s exasperation at his existence is mindless within the context of the story or what we’re proven of her quiet and type son.